The Chinese central government on Friday approved a plan that maps out major climate change goals to be met by 2020.
This was contained in a statement released on the website of the country’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
The State Council, China’s cabinet, gave a green light to the plan which was proposed by the NDRC, the country’s economic planner.
China has pledged to reduce its carbon emission intensity, namely emissions per unit of GDP, by 40 per cent to 45 per cent by 2020 from the 2005 level.
It will also aim to bring the proportion of non-fossil fuels to about 15 per cent of its total primary energy consumption.
According to the statement, other targets include increasing forest coverage by 40 million hectares within the next five years.
It also said that the government would speed up efforts to establish a carbon emission permit market, under the plan, which also calls for deepened international cooperation.
The State Council said local governments and departments at all levels should recognise the significance and urgency in dealing with climate change and give higher priority to action on the issue.
China’s release of the action plan came just before a climate summit is to be held at UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday.
